


Dull Moments in Otherwise Exciting Lives

by TripleZero



Series: DMIOEL [1]
Category: Captain America (Movies)
Genre: AU - No Hydra, Domestic Fluff, Established Relationship, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-15
Updated: 2019-04-21
Packaged: 2019-06-27 17:14:11
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 18
Words: 10,213
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15689820
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TripleZero/pseuds/TripleZero
Summary: In which nothing exciting happens.repost





	1. Stormy Night

**Author's Note:**

> Mini timeline for main characters  
> James Barnes: SHIELD purchases Winter Soldier from independent seller in 2001. James finally gets defrosted in 2003 and is fully deprogrammed in 2005. Works as trainer for a while so SHIELD can continue to observe his mental state. Integrated into STRIKE team in 2008. Gets together with Brock in 2010.
> 
> Brock Rumlow: Born in 1972. Joins SHIELD in 1995 at age 23. Member of STRIKE team in 1996. Commander of STRIKE team in 2007.
> 
> Jack Rollins: Born in 1979. Joins SHIELD in early 2004 at age 25. Member of STRIKE team in late 2006. Commander of STRIKE team in 2011.

A particularly loud thunder clap startles both Brock and James awake. Neither of them had been sleeping very deeply as the room is warm and humid. Brock groans as he glances over at the alarm clock and sees it flashing. He reaches for his phone and sees that it is only 2:00 a.m.  
  
“Time is it?” James mumbles sleepily. He mirrors Brock groan when he is told the time. Another thunder clap rattles the windows, causing James to jerk. “Why does it have to storm when I want to sleep?”  
  
“Weather hates us?” Brock responds. He rolls out of bed to go get some cold water. “Want something?” he asks as he stretches a little.  
  
“Water. Cold.” James shifts onto a cooler spot of the bed while kicking the single sheet off his legs as it seems to have gotten even more humid and hot since they went to sleep. “Turn the A/C down, will you?”  
  
It does not take Brock long to fix the thermostat to a lower temperature and get them both glasses of water. When he returns to their bedroom James sits up and takes the cold glass from him with a mumbled thanks. Yet another thunder clap rattles the apartment. “Gonna be a long night,” Brock mutters.  
  
“No kidding,” James agrees while pressing the cold glass to one temple and his metal hand to the other temple. He feels bed dip as Brock moves behind him until Brock’s knees are just on either side of his hips. He takes a long drink, enjoying the coolness of the water and how the cold seems to spread through his chest and belly in a pleasant way.   
  
When Brock’s now cool hands descend on his shoulders he lowers his hands to his lap. “Feels nice," he murmurs as Brock’s hands lightly begin to knead. After a few minutes James leans back against Brock, glass nearly empty and held lightly against his thigh. His lower legs are still hanging off the bed and his neck is crooked at an odd angle against Brock’s belly but he does not care as long as Brock’s hands stay on him.  
  
Brock lets James settle himself before he returns to giving him a massage, hands moving to his strong chest. After a few minutes he moves his hands to James’ face and then up to his scalp and back down, reveling in the soft moans he is pulling from him. Brock steals the last of the water from James’ glass to no protest. They stay this way for a while longer until the sounds of the storm start to lessen as the storm passes. “Much as I’m enjoying this, it is too damn hot to cuddle like this,” Brock says, finally breaking the silence.  
  
The sudden declaration startles James but he completely agrees and sits up, feeling Brock move back to stretch out on his side of the bed. James sets his glass down on the nightstand and flops back onto the bed. “It really is, isn’t it? Too bad.” He gives Brock a cheeky grin that Brock can only just make out in the flash of lightning that briefly illuminates the room.  
  
“Don’t get me started, you ass,” Brock groans and reaches over to lightly swat James’ arm. He grins up at the ceiling at James’ laughter. “Go to sleep. We got work to do today.” Almost faster than he keep track of, James is leaning over him and pressing a light kiss to his lips. He reaches up to stroke over James’ side until James shifts back over to his side of the bed. “Night, Brock,” James murmurs as curls up on his side. “Goodnight, Baby,” Brock murmurs back.


	2. A warm welcome

“It’s just me, Baby,” Brock calls out as he enters his apartment. He knows James would have heard the door opening and closing and he knows that it is better to announce himself than to let his lover’s imagination get away from him - especially when he may have been sleeping. He leaves the main lights off - a few well-placed night lights work well enough to light his path - as he treks to the bedroom to set his duffel bag down.  
  
James is curled up on his side on their bed, as usual, he is facing the door even though he is on the farthest side of the bed and is snuggled under several blankets. Brock grins when he notices that James has tugged most of the blankets completely onto his side of the bed. He crosses over to James’ side of the bed and leans over his lover. “Miss me?” he asks before planting a kiss to James’ hair.  
  
“You stink,” is the reply that Brock gets from his lover who is snuggling deeper into the pillows and blankets. Huffing out a laugh, Brock stands back up and pats James’ hip as he heads off to the bathroom. “Don’t I feel loved?” Brock calls back at him before he closes the door. It has been a long day and he is more than ready for bed so he does not drag the shower out any longer than is necessary.  
  
Once he has finished drying himself he returns to the bedroom and quickly fishes out a pair of lounge pants to wear for bed. Brock climbs onto the bed and stretches out next to James, who is still curled up in the same spot but the blankets have been pulled up almost completely over his face. “I showered. Can I have some of the covers now?” he asks as he reaches over to poke at James’ shoulder.   
“No, you’ll let in cold air,” comes the muffled and sullen response from under the blankets.   
  
“I’ll warm you back up,” Brock mock-pouts as he pushes lightly against James’ shoulder. He can just make out James’ eyes glaring up at him when he peeks out from beneath the blankets.   
  
“Fine, fine. Get in,” James grouses as he stretches out a bit and loosens his grip on the blankets. Brock quickly slips beneath the covers, trying to not let too much cold air in. He flinches from the coldness of James’ metal arm wrapping around his waist and pulling him closer but then hums his amusement.  
  
Once James has snuggled against his chest and made a soft sound of contentment Brock presses another kiss to his hair. “Missed you, Baby,” Brock says. “Missed you, too,” is the only reply Brock gets from James for the rest of the night.


	3. Snow day

James peeks out the window after he finally drags himself out of bed in the morning. There looks to be about an inch of snow covering everything except the street where the snow has already been cleared. He shivers a little, crossing his arms tightly across his chest.  
  
“Is it still snowing?” Brock’s voice is muffled since Brock has the blankets pulled up almost over his head.  
  
“Looks like it stopped a while ago. Road’s cleared off,” James replies. He muffles a yawn behind his hand. He grabs his phone from the nightstand to check and see if any messages have come in about not turning up to work today. None have come through. “Joy. Looks like we go in today. Want some coffee?”  
  
“Sure. Turn up the heat, too, will you?” Brock asks, not emerging from under the covers.  
  
James hums and pats the lump in the bed where Brock’s feet are as he passes by the bed. Since he passes by the thermostat on the way to the kitchen he turns the heat up first. They always try to have the coffee ready to make in the morning so it only takes a push of a button for James to start the coffee. While waiting for the coffee to finish, James scrounges around the kitchen to find something to eat. He eventually settles on popping a blueberry bagel in the toaster to warm up. The coffee pot chimes that it is done a couple seconds. Grabbing a couple mugs out of the cupboard, James quickly fills up both of them and takes one in to the bedroom for Brock who is still buried under the blankets. “Up," he orders, setting the mug on the night stand next to Brock.  
  
Brock groans but sits up, keeping the blankets wrapped around himself as he slides back to lean against the headboard. “Thanks, Baby," he mumbles while reaching for the mug. His hair is mussed up, sticking up in some parts while lying nearly flat in others. Brock swats James’ hand away with a grumble when James tries to ruffle his hair.  
  
The sound of the toaster popping up draws James back to the kitchen. He grabs the cream cheese from the fridge and sets about fixing his bagel. He has just taken a seat at the table when he hears Brock finally stumble out of bed. The bagel is nearly gone by the time Brock makes it out to the kitchen.  
  
“You didn’t even fix me one?” Brock teases, heading to the coffee pot to top his cup off. His hair is in some semblance of order now. He cannot resist ruffling James’ hair as he passes, snickering when James smacks him on the hip in retaliation.  
  
“You didn’t ask,” James says around the last bit of bagel. “Windshield needs to be scraped off before we can leave.”  
  
“You like the snow. You do it,” Brock grumbles while dropping into the seat next to James. He slouches back in his chair and sips at his coffee a little more slowly this time around, enjoying the warmth and alertness slowly spreading through him.  
  
“You could help,” James points out. “Want me to fix something for breakfast or are we going to stop at the cafeteria?”  
  
“Let’s just stop there and grab something,” Brock looks over at James, taking in how his hair is sticking up in random places. He reaches over to smooth his hair down and brush some away from his face and behind his ear.  
  
“Alright,” James says as he nuzzles into Brock’s hand for a moment until Brock pulls his hand away. He finishes his own mug of coffee and gets up to get a second one. “Come on. Let’s get ready and go," he says, heading off to the bedroom with Brock not far behind him. He sets his mug on the dresser so he can pull out some clothes. When he tries to take his shirt off, the material gets caught in the shoulder joint. “Give me a hand, will you?”  
  
Not even trying to hide his grin, Brock moves over to help James get his shirt off. It only takes a few seconds for Brock to get the shirt unsnagged from James’ shoulder. “You had a string loose on your shirt. Looks like I got it all," he informs him while helping James pull the shirt the rest of the way off and tosses it onto the bed. He wraps his arms around James’ waist and presses a kiss to his neck.  
  
“Hey, there.” James reaches up and cups the back of Brock’s head with one hand. “It’s still too cold to be standing around like this," he protests quietly. Despite that, he still tilts his head to press a kiss to Brock’s lips. A grin curls his lips when Brock moans softly.  
  
“Could get back in bed,” Brock suggests with a smirk. One of his hands slides up and pinches one cold-hardened nipple. He gets a light groan and an elbow nudging into his belly for his efforts. “Alright, alright. Later,” he chuckles and moves away.  
  
James quickly pulls his shirt on. “Tonight. We can have sex tonight," he promises. It never fails to amuse and amaze James how much Brock wants him. “Get dressed and come out and help me clean the car off," he orders with a poke to Brock’s arm for emphasis. Turning back to the dresser, he pulls out a pair of boxers and pants to finish getting dressed, himself.  
  
Watching James strip the sleeping pants off and change into his regular pants is more interesting than changing into his own clothes but Brock still gives James a sarcastic ‘Yes, sir’ and moves to the dresser to fish out his own clothes. “I love your ass," he comments while James is doing up his fly.  
  
The comment makes James smirk and he turns to give Brock a better view of backside. “I know you do,” James says with a smirk before turning to lean against the dresser and watch as Brock gets dressed.  
  
Brock makes a show of changing as slowly as slowly as the still nippy air lets him. “Sure you want to wait?” he teases but does not wait for a reply before finishing dressing. “Probably should have shaved. Oh, well," he mutters after glancing at himself in the mirror. Brock slings an arm over James’ shoulders. “Shall we?”  
  
“I do like the scruffy look,” James comments, reaching up to stroke Brock’s jaw. He presses a light kiss to Brock’s cheek. “Lead on," he chirps and wraps his own arm around Brock’s waist.  
  
They head out to the front door to grab their coats and boots. Brock accidentally grabs one of James’ boots and only realizes it when he tries to put it on and finds it a little tight. “We need to put name tags on everything," he grumbles while passing the boot over to a chuckling James. “And you shut it. Not like you haven’t done that, too," he grumbles when James just laughs at him.  
  
Once they are ready they head down to the car. The doors only stick a little from the ice. Brock climbs in to turn the engine on and start defrosting the windows while James fetches the scraper. It takes a few minutes of scraping to clear the windows of ice and snow. They are just about ready to pull out when both of their phones chime. They both check and groan when they get the message that says to not come in. Brock gives James a salacious smirk. “Sex and then breakfast?”


	4. Nightmare

Brock is startled awake when James suddenly jerks upright next to him. “James?” he mumbles, trying to get his voice to work as he casts a quick glance around the room to make sure that no one else was there. He sees no one and gets no response from James. Before he can repeat his question James bolts from the bed towards the bathroom. “James!” he calls out as he stumbles out of bed after him.

James is crouched in front of the toilet, metal arm curled tightly against his stomach as he vomits by the time Brock enters the bathroom. Brock sighs softly and fills a glass with water then fetches a wash cloth to wet down and set the items on the counter. “James?” he begins, keeping his voice quiet to keep from startling him.  
  
It is a few minutes before James finishes and collapses sideways against the bathtub. He is shaking and sweating. Brock’s voice eventually cuts through his hazy thoughts. He glances up at Brock, puzzled for a moment as to why Brock is standing so far away and looking so concerned. The memory of the last time Brock had gotten too close when he was like this soon surfaces and brings a wave of guilt down on him to go with the guilt from the Winter Soldier memories already plaguing him.  
  
“You with me, James?” Brock asks carefully when James’ eyes fix on his. He hates the confused and lost expression on James’ face. “Baby?” he tries again and finally gets a weak, shaky reply in the form of his name. Grabbing the wash cloth again, he crouches down closer to James and holds it out to him.  
  
James reaches out with a shaky hand to take the wash cloth from Brock. The coolness of the damp cloth feels good as he wipes his mouth and face with it which surprises him as he feels too cold everywhere else. After a few long minutes, he begins to feel slightly calmer and peeks up at Brock. “Hey,” he manages, voice a little steadier this time.  
  
Brock takes that as a sign that he can move closer. Slowly, so he does not startle James, he reaches up to brush his damp hair back from his face. “How about you rinse your mouth out and come back to bed?” he murmurs.  
  
The gentle hands on his hair feel nice and make him feel cherished. If only the memories did not keep weighing him down and making him feel guilty about what he has. “Yeah,” he mumbles and lets Brock help him up. He takes the glass when Brock passes it to him and rinses his mouth. “I’ll be in in a moment. Want to brush my teeth, too.” He still feels a little shaky but cannot help but pull away ever so slightly.  
  
“Ok.” Brock is not sure if he just imagined James shying away from him or not but he does not call him out on it. “I’m right outside in the bedroom if you need me," he tells James while he backs away out the door slowly to give James his space. After turning on the lamp he sits on the foot of the bed to keep an eye on James.  
  
A part of him does not want Brock to leave him but he is only going to take a minute and he does want some extra time to calm himself. He feels a little better after brushing his teeth and drinking some more water. He remembers to flush the toilet before heading back to the bedroom. “Hey,” is all he can say when he sees Brock waiting for him.  
  
Brock stands and holds his arms out to James. “Hey, Baby,” he says when James moves into his arms hesitantly. “Need to talk?” he asks even though he doubts James will want to. When James shakes his head Brock strokes a hand through his hair. “Think you can sleep again?” James nods against his shoulder, prompting Brock to squeeze him a little tighter before letting go. “C'mon,” he says while climbing back into bed.  
  
James leaves the bedside lamp on as he crawls in next to Brock. “I want the light,” he explains in a mumble. When Brock holds an arm out for him, he scoots over and presses against Brock’s side. A small smile turns up the corners of his mouth as Brock jerks when James’ metal arm comes to rest over his bare chest. "Sorry," he murmurs softly.  
  
Brock reaches up to adjust James’ arm to a more comfortable position as it is heavy and cold. “At least it warms up quickly,” he teases. “Night, James.”


	5. A quiet morning

The bed is still empty when Brock wakes up. He reaches over to grab his phone to see if James left a message. There is one message from James.  
  
\- Got in late. Didn't want to wake you. I'll bring breakfast in the morning.  
  
He sends a quick message asking if James is on his way back before he crawls out of bed and heads to the kitchen to start coffee. He is grateful that it is a day off for both of them. Once that has been started he finishes the rest of his morning routine but leaves his hair loose. The coffee finishes before he gets a return text from James.  
  
\- On my way. Got food.  
  
\- Ok. I made coffee. See you soon.  
  
He flops down onto the couch with a cup of coffee to wait for James. He is nearly finished with the first cup by the time James opens the door. He sets his cup down and hurries over to take James' duffel bag from him. "Hey there."  
  
James lets Brock take his duffel bag from him and continues to the kitchen to set the bag of food down. He is just pulling the boxes out when Brock gets back and wraps an arm around his waist. "Morning. Get me some coffee?" he requests, leaning into the one armed hug.  
  
"Not even a kiss?" Brock ruffles James' long hair but moves to get him a mug. "What time did you guys get in?"  
  
James passes one of the boxes to Brock, ignoring his question for a few minutes. "Here. Waffles, hash browns, and bacon." He drops into a chair at the table. "Grab me a fork, will you?" He takes a sip of the coffee and once he is sure that it is not too hot takes a large swig. Brock passes him a fork and sits next to him. After another long drink he finally answers Brock's question. "We got in about 2:00. Mission was fine, weather on the way back wasn't."  
  
"Yeah?" Brock begins to dig into the food. "Anyone get sick on the jet?" James gives Brock an unimpressed glare, making Brock laugh.  
  
"Surprisingly enough, no," James informs him, finally grinning back. "So, what have you been up to the past three days while I've been gone?" he asks, reaching over to poke Brock's arm.  
  
"Paperwork, training." Brock shrugs. "You guys are probably going to be in on Monday for a seminar."  
  
"Oh, god. Not again," James groans. "Couldn't that have waited until after breakfast?"  
  
"Yes, again," Brock teases. "It'll only be two hours, then you can go do paperwork. It'll be fun."  
  
"Bullshit," James deadpans.  
  
"Better two hours than that all day one they had last year. Remember that one?"  
  
"How could I forget? Well, I remember being bored out of my mind after the first hour but not much else." James rolls his eyes towards the ceiling and taps his fork on the side of the box.  
  
"I don't think anyone remembers anything about it." Brock finishes the last of his food and scoots the box off to the side of the table. "If they hadn't threatened to make us retake it later, I think Jack might've broken his arm to get out of it." He chuckles at the memory of Jack's bitching.  
  
James grins over at him. "Sounds like Jack." Silence falls over them while James finishes his breakfast. Once finished, James pushes his box over to the side and slides his cup in front of himself. "I need more coffee," he declares, looking down at the nearly empty cup.  
  
"Give it here," Brock says while standing up. "I could use some more, too." He takes both mugs over to the coffee pot and refills them. "Move this to the couch? Bed?"  
  
James leans back in his chair, kicking one leg up onto the other chair. "Couch. Don't want to fall back to sleep just yet." He takes the mug from Brock before getting up. "Want to watch a movie? Something funny? Kinda want to just unwind."  
  
"Something funny sounds good," Brock agrees and heads towards the living room to set up a comedy. James waits for him to settle back onto the couch before climbing on and settling against him, back to chest. Brock hums in contentment and wraps his arms around James' chest.  
  
James reaches back with his right hand and tangles his fingers in Brock's hair. "We should do this more often," he suggests to Brock with a glance back up at him.  
  
"Do what? Breakfast and a movie? Cuddle on the couch?" Brock reaches up to stroke his fingers along James' jaw. "All of the above?" He presses a light kiss on James' forehead.  
  
"All of the above," James tells him, grinning at the tickling feeling of Brock's beard. His attention gets drawn to the TV as the movie starts. Towards the middle of the movie, Brock starts running his fingers through his hair, drawing a few light moans from James. "Feels nice."  
  
"Good," Brock murmurs and nuzzles at James' hair. He is barely even paying attention to the TV, focusing more on James' laughter. He keeps stroking James' hair, occasionally taking a few moments to knead at his scalp, until the movie finally ends.


	6. Headache

"Headache," Brock mumbles against his pillow when James asks what he is still doing in bed in the middle of the afternoon. "Keep your damn voice down."  
  
"Sorry," James quiets his voice. "Anything I can do for you?" he asks while hesitantly placing his hand on Brock's shoulder.  
  
Brock's first reaction is to shrug off James' hand but moving is too much effort. He merely groans softly in response.  
  
"Alright," James murmurs and squeezes Brock's shoulder gently. He makes to get up but is stopped by a mumbled 'wait.' "What can I do?" he asks softly.  
  
"Rub my neck?" Brock asks, deciding that it might help the tension in his shoulders and neck.  
  
"Ok. I can do that," James tells him quietly while climbing onto the bed next to Brock, settling into a sitting position so he can rub Brock's shoulders. He slowly begins to knead at Brock's neck, and soon enough Brock has rolled almost onto his belly to give him more access to his shoulders and neck. "Good?" he asks Brock.  
  
"Mm," Brock hums softly in approval. His head is still aching but James' hand is finding all of the right places, relieving some of the pain. "More?" he begs, his voice muffled against the pillow.  
  
"Anything for you," James murmurs. Since Brock's hair is free of gel, it is soft as James' fingers trail up and card through it. The soft moans he drags from Brock as he massages his scalp bring a grin to his face.  
  
"James," Brock purrs. "Feels good," he murmurs as James' hand returns to kneading his neck and shoulder. His headache is blessedly receding and sleep is creeping up on him. Slowly, he rolls over and curls up against James' side.  
  
James lets Brock readjust on the bed and then strokes his hand through his hair again. His gaze moves from Brock's face to their hands as Brock takes his metal one in his. "Want to sleep?" he asks, thumb rubbing a slow circle over Brock's temple.  
  
"Mm. Yeah," Brock murmurs after a few moments. "Stay with me?" He opens his eyes and glances up at James briefly, the dim light in the room is still too bright for him so he quickly closes his eyes again.  
  
James nudges at his shoulder. "Scoot over a bit," he orders.  
  
Brock groans softly but slides over a little, letting James stretch out in front of him. James tucks his left arm under the pillows and makes himself comfortable. "Hey, there," he murmurs, pressing a light kiss to Brock's cheek.  
  
Even though it does not take long, shifting over and waiting for James to settle has begun to exasperate Brock's headache. "Hey, yourself," Brock grumbles, crinkling his nose when James' stubbly chin tickles his cheek. James' flesh hand strokes through his hair and down his neck, once again easing the tension in his neck and shoulders. He sighs in contentment and snuggles closer to James.  
  
James continues to pet and massage his lover's neck and hair, taking pleasure in the soft sounds he pulls from Brock. He is pleased with the way that he can feel the tension draining from Brock. Soon enough, the soft sounds from Brock taper off. "Sleep well, Hon," he whispers, even though he is sure that Brock has already fallen asleep. After a while, he closes his own eyes and allows himself to drift off.


	7. Sparring

"How did you know I was down here, anyway?" Brock asks while accepting a towel-wrapped ice pack from James and pressing it to his jaw.  
  
"Brandon said you were trying to murder the punching bags so I came to see what's eating you," James tells him as he drops down to sit next to Brock on the cool floor. "Feel better?"  
  
"Hm? Yeah, I...needed that," Brock mumbles. Sparring with James has exhausted him and burned away most of the pent up irritation and curbed his desire to crush a certain someone's kneecaps. He glances over at James, feeling a tad bit piqued at the concerned look on his face. He does not particularly care for another brawl so he tries to give James a grin to lighten the mood. "I'm fine, James," he tries to soothe his lover.  
  
"Mhmm," James hums, not convinced in the slightest but he decides to let it slide for now. "Want to get out of here, or do you want to get beaten up again?" he asks in a light tone. He grins and snorts in amusement when Brock elbows him in the side.  
  
Brock almost decides to start a second fight to wipe the smirk off James' face but after glaring at said smirk for a few seconds decides that James looks 'rather fetching' with that devious smirk on his face.  
  
"'Rather fetching', hm?" James repeats and cannot keep back a snicker at Brock's muttered opinion. He laughs even harder when Brock's eyes widen in surprise.  
  
Apparently, he had actually spoken that aloud. "What?" he demands, refusing to show any embarrassment. "You look sexy with that evil smirk on your fucking face," he grumbles, shoving hard on James' shoulder.  
  
"You said, 'fetching'," James accuses Brock, his tone softening a bit.  
  
"That does not leave this room," Brock demands. He readjusts the ice pack on his jaw and glances at the clock to see how much longer he should keep holding onto it.  
  
"Nothing in front of the guys," James promises. "But at home, I make no promises." He slides over until his arm and knee brush against Brock's and is pleased when Brock does not move away. "So, home?"  
  
"Brat," Brock mutters. "But, yeah, home sounds good," he agrees. "We could both use a shower," he comments dryly.  
  
James nods his agreement and stands. "Come on," he says, holding a hand down to Brock. He gives Brock's hand a tight squeeze after helping him to his feet. "Go return the ice pack and I'll get your stuff," he orders, letting go of Brock's hand.  
  
"Ok," Brock says, hurrying to return the ice pack. James has just finished repacking Brock's duffel when Brock returns. He sidles up to his lover's left side, wrapping an arm around his waist. James' cool metal arm feels pleasant when James rests it over his shoulders, and even better is that under his arm is dry.  
  
The sight of the small bruise on Brock's jaw nearly makes James frown but he keeps his expression neutral. He decides that he can look Brock over once they have gotten home and showered.


	8. Laundry

"I think we need to put tags on everything." James informs Brock when he returns to their apartment with the folded laundry in a basket balanced in his hip.  
  
"What?" Brock asks, puzzled by James' statement.  
  
"We wear the same size of clothes,” comes James' response.  
  
"Oh, yeah. Except for shoes; we don't wear the same size of shoes," Brock points out with a grin.  
  
"No, but we do have the same boots from SHIELD. Should put tags on those, too," James comments while setting the basket on the couch next to Brock and picking out the towels.  
  
"That would save some time in the mornings, wouldn't it?" Brock reaches over to try to grab James and pull him down.  
  
James dodges Brock's grabbing hands and presses the towels into them instead. "Mhmm. Here, put the towels away, will you? I'll put the clothes away," he says and picks the basket up again to head to the bedroom.  
  
"It's your turn to do the laundry, James. What're you going to give me for putting half of it away for you?" Brock hollers after James.  
  
James huffs in amusement and mild irritation. "I won't kick you of your own bed for the rest of the week," he calls back, just finishing put the laundry in the dresser. "Good choice," he comments dryly when Brock strolls by towards the bathroom with the towels in hand.  
  
"Brat," Brock says with a laugh. He resists the urge to snap James on the backside with a towel. "There, towels are put away. May I please be allowed to sleep in my bed tonight?" he says in as sweet a voice as he turns around and sees James standing in the doorway with the basket in hand again.  
  
"Now who is being a brat?" James asks with grin. "I get cold without you in bed, anyways," he says, dismissively and turns away. "I'll be back in a few with the rest of the laundry. If you set up the ironing board I might even let you have sex with me tonight," he offers causally over his shoulder before opening the door. He does not miss the eager look on Brock's face as he shuts the door behind him.


	9. Dinner at Jack's

“Really? You invited yourselves over for dinner? And why do you think I want to cook for you?" Jack grouses at Brock and James as they make themselves comfortable on the sofa.  
  
“You’re a good cook," Brock says. “Come on, I bring you dinner when you need it. And let you stay over when you need somewhere to stay.”  
  
“We even brought wine," James pipes up while lifting the bottle.  
  
“Uh huh," Jack sighs. He holds his hand out for the wine. He is a little surprised that the bottle is actually chilled already. “I’ll put this in the fridge and start cooking. How does Ramen sound?”  
  
“You actually have Ramen noodles?" Brock says, staring at Jack's back in surprise as he disappears into the kitchen.  
  
“Nope," Jack calls back from the kitchen. He looks back at the label on the wine and decides that spaghetti would go well with it. “Spaghetti sound alright?”  
  
“Do you have bow tie noodles?" James asks, ignoring Brock's amused look.  
  
“Let me check.” Jack pulls out a jar of sauce and checks his stash of noodles. “Yes, I do. I’ll get started on dinner, then. Although, you could have brought dessert, too, you know.”  
  
“Oops," comes Brock’s not - so apologetic response. James tries to look apologetic even though Jack cannot see him.  
  
“Mhmm.” Jack rolls his eyes upward. It takes a few minutes for him to get the food started. While he is filling a pan with water for the noodles he hears the TV turn on. “If you put on some ridiculous game show, I’ll throw the both of you out!”  
  
“Wouldn’t dream of it, Jackie-boy!" Brock hollers at him, settling on some sitcom that he does not recognize. He grins at James, enjoying the gentle smile he receives in return. “Come here.” He slips his arm around James’ shoulders.  
  
“Do you think we get bread sticks while we’re waiting?" James asks while settling into a comfortable position. “I want bread sticks.”  
  
The question takes Brock by pleasant surprise, and he starts laughing. “Jack’ll probably tell us if we want bread sticks that we can go them ourselves.” He kisses James’ hair. “And probably chuck us out the door.”  
  
“Why am I going to chuck you out?" Jack asks from the doorway.  
  
“James wants bread sticks," Brock informs him as seriously as he can. James digs his elbow into Brock’s side while trying to give Jack as innocent a look as he can.  
  
It is completely unfair just how large and sweet looking James’ eyes can get, in Jack’s opinion. “You want bread sticks, you can go get some yourself," he grouses to Brock and James’ amusement.  
  
“Told you so," Brock whispers to James, who grins and smacks Brock’s thigh.  
  
“Why am I letting you stay?" Jack grumbles and heads back into the kitchen to make sure the sauce is not burning. He waits a few minutes before testing the sauce. Once he is satisfied that the sauce is good, he starts the water. He heads back to the living room to collect Brock and James. “Go set the table. Dinner will be ready in a few more minutes.”  
  
James stands and reaches back to grab Brock’s hand and pull him up, too. “You’re helping, too.” They follow Jack back into the kitchen. Brock pulls out three plates and places them on the table while James pulls out silverware. “Napkins?" James asks Jack.  
  
“Second drawer down.” Jack gestures towards the drawer before turning back to the stove. He adds the noodles to the boiling water. “How do you like your noodles?" he asks.  
  
“I can’t stand over-cooked noodles," Brock says with a grimace. James shrugs while slipping napkins under the silverware.  
  
“Ok. Be another few minutes. Get the wine ready, will you?” Jack stirs the sauce again.  
  
James fetches the bottle from the fridge. “Where’s the bottle opener?" he asks.  
  
“Got it," Brock says before Jack can respond, fishing the corkscrew out of a drawer. He tosses it over to James and pulls out three tumblers for them. “Why don’t you have wine glasses?”  
  
“Because they don’t survive the dishwasher and I don’t want to wash them by hand," Jack informs him. The noodles are done enough for his taste when he checks them so he draining the water from the pan.  
  
“Because wine glasses take so long to wash.” Brock rolls his eyes even though Jack’s back is turned towards him. James grins and shakes his head at his lover.  
  
“If you want to come over and hand wash everything, feel free,' Jack grumbles. He nearly grabs a couple serving bowls for the food but decides he does not want more dishes. Instead, he grabs a couple pot holders out and sets them on the table then grabs the pans off the stove and sets them on table. “There might be Parmesan in the fridge if you want some. Hope you like it spicy," he says while sitting down.  
  
Brock and James both sit down and wait for Jack to finish dishing himself up some noodles. “I’m good," James says. James gives Brock a cheeky grin when Jack passes the noodles to him next instead of Brock. “Thanks," he says to Jack at the same time that Brock grumbles, “I see how it is.”  
  
“Mhmm," Jack hums. He tops the noodles with sauce, and after James has passed the noodles on to Brock, he hands him the sauce. He does not wait for either of the others before digging in.  
  
There is still plenty of sauce left in the pan so James helps himself to as much sauce as he wants. After he passes the sauce off to Brock he follows Jack’s lead and digs in. “It’s good," he compliments Jack. “Spicy," he adds when the spice finally catches up on him.  
  
“Jack does like his food spicy,” Brock comments. He does not take nearly as much sauce as James, enjoying sauce with his noodles and not noodles with his sauce. He tucks in. “It is good, like always.”  
  
“Glad you both approve," Jack says, dryly. They finish their meal in silence. When finished, Jack tells both of the other two men to rinse their dishes and put them in the dishwasher, and heads to the living room.  
  
Brock and James both nod. Brock cleans his plate first but waits for James to finish before taking his plate to the sink. “Here, I’ll rinse them, you put them in the dishwasher.” James nods in agreement and opens the dishwasher, waiting for Brock to finish rinsing the dishes. Once finished with the dishes, James and Brock head to the living room to join Jack. They end up watching television with Jack's added commentary for a couple hours before he finally kicks them out.


	10. Self help

"If you're horny, go jerk it in the bathroom," Brock mutters, one hand moving to swat the hand on his hip away. Another time he would be all for sex with James but right now he just wants to sleep.  
  
James frowns as he slides back to his side of the bed. "Ok," he murmurs. Flopping back onto his back, he tries to will his arousal away. "Back in a moment," he says when it becomes clear that it is not going away. Brock replying with a non-committal hum is almost enough to make James' arousal vanish. Almost.  
  
The room seems oddly empty to Brock when he hears the bathroom door shut. He rolls onto his back, irritated that sleep has been chased away. The image of James jacking off in the bathroom flashes through Brock's mind, drawing a partially aroused but mostly irritated groan from him. Thinking of his day quickly kills his arousal but it brings him no closer to sleep.  
  
In the bathroom James shuts the toilet, kicks his boxers off, and sits on the lid. He grabs the lotion, conveniently within arm reach, and sets about squirting a generous amount into his right hand and warming it up. The lotion is still cool when he wraps his hand around his erection. His metal fingers trail over his chest, stopping at his right nipple to tease it. He closes his eyes and conjures up Brock's body in his mind. The grouchy way Brock had pushed him away creeps back up on him is a bit off-putting but he just gives his nipple a squeeze and rubs his thumb over the head of his erection and the feeling fades. His mind drifts back to Brock, the slope of his strong shoulders and his cheeky grin, the way his voice sounds moaning his name, the feeling of his soft lips contrasting with the rough scrape of his stubble as Brock nibbles and sucks his way from James' jaw to his shoulder, and the feeling their erections trapped between them as they grind together.

The pleasure builds quickly as he strokes himself. He tries to finish himself off as quickly as he can as he is eager to return to bed and fall asleep. His metal hand is now warm enough to shift from playing with his nipples to cupping and playing with his balls as he gets closer to orgasm. Finally, with a soft and muffled moan, the pleasure peaks and he comes.  
  
As far as orgasms go, it was a fairly weak one but still satisfying for now, James decides when he can focus again. After another minute or so of simply enjoying the afterglow, he gets up so that he can clean himself up and get back to Brock's grumpy self. Thinking about Brock's grouchy attitude helps kill the afterglow, and James decides to take a little longer than necessary to clean himself up to avoid Brock's attitude. He does not bother to put his boxers back on but he does take them with him back into the bedroom so that he can leave them beside the bed for when he wakes up in the morning. He notes that Brock is silent but still awake and on his side again as he slips into bed next to him.  
  
Brock glances over his shoulder once James has settled down on the bed and can just make out the back of James' head and shoulders next to him. Despite still feeling irritated, he decides that he does not like having James' back to him. "How was it?" Brock asks to break the awkward silence and draw James' attention to him.  
  
"Had better," James replies, not turning around. "Did I keep you up?"  
  
"Not really," Brock says after a moment. He rolls onto his back and looks over at James. "Probably not going to be able to fall asleep for a while longer, actually."  
  
James rolls onto his back as well but looks up at the ceiling. He wants to respond that Brock could have had some fun with him and then they'd both probably feel a lot better but he bites that urge back as he does not want to deal with Brock getting pissy with him again. "Anything you need?" he settles as something safe to ask.  
  
Brock just hums and shrugs. He looks up at the ceiling. "Don't worry about me. You just get some sleep," he tells James. He looks back over at James when he feels the bed dip as James rolls onto his side closer to Brock and props himself up on an elbow. He reaches up and strokes James' shoulder. "C'mere," he says, reaching back to cup James' neck and pull him down against his side.  
  
Curling up against Brock's side is definitely better than sleeping on his own side of the bed so James quickly presses himself up against Brock's side. "If you're sure," he says softly with a glance up towards Brock's face. "Night, then."  
  
Brock murmurs a 'good night' to James and starts stroking his soft hair. He can feel James grin and snuggle closer as he continues to pet him. After a few minutes he is sure that James has fallen asleep but he keeps stroking his hair as it is calming. 'Must work along the same lines as petting a cat,' he thinks with amusement shortly before he manages to drift off himself.


	11. Sleeping

"What're you staring at?" Brock mumbles. He does not even have to open his eyes to know that his lover is hovering nearby and focused intently on him.   
  
 "You," comes the simple response. 

 "Should be sleeping," Brock chastises. "It's time for sleeping."   
  
 "Then sleep," James coos.   
  
 "Can't if you're going to stare at me," Brock counters, eyes still shut.   
  
 James slips under the covers, close to, but not quite touching Brock. The sudden quiet stillness in the room is what makes Brock finally crack an eye open. He can just make out James' face in the dim glow of the nightlight. James really does have lovely eyes, he thinks as his lover lazily gazes at him. He wants to lift a hand a brush it over James' cheek, but his sleep-heavy arm only manages to flop against James' bare side.   
  
 Settling for running his hand down the other man's flank to pat him on the hip, he is pleasantly surprised to find James has decided against any sleep wear. "Minx," Brock huffs out with a small chuckle that is echoed by his lover. In a swift movement that Brock is barely even able to follow, James has sidled himself up under his arm and snuggles firmly into his side. Brock tangles his fingers in long, soft locks as James presses a kiss to his chest.   
  
 "Get some sleep," James urges, voice soft but open to no debate. His cool metal hand trails over Brock's chest, his throat and back down to settle on his chest once more. "I'll watch over you."  
  
 The silky locks between his fingers and warm weight against his side lulls Brock into a state of drowsy contentment. James' voice promising to guard over his sleep is what sends him back into a deep sleep. His dreams are easy and forgettable for once.


	12. Adoration

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not sure this really fits in with the rest of the snippets, but whatever, it's going here.

Watching the show of elegant skill and unmatched power that is James' workout is frustrating in all the right ways. His movements are so graceful and effortless, especially when running an obstacle course. At times it even seems that James' feet do not even touch the ground as he speeds through the course that even Brock struggles with. Even carrying a pack loaded with weights he still manages to both leap high over barriers and drop down to scuttle under other obstacles with no obvious signs of exerting himself. Beautiful bastard probably will not even have broken into a sweat by the time he is finished. SHIELD should look into making a super-soldier course for him to make things more fair. And clothing could definitely be optional. Assuming, of course, that Brock were the only one to have access to the facility while James is using it.    
  
    Brock shakes his head to break himself from his lustful musings. He could do without the ribbing he will get if anyone happens to notice him getting aroused by watching his lover in action. Still, he stays to watch James as he reaches the end and makes to start the process over again. He attempts to adopt a level of professional detachment, but then James glances up at the observation window and gives him a grin and wink before starting the course once more. Cheeky brat. At least James seems to have finally worn himself out just a tad after another pass through the track.   
  
    Brock waits in the observatory for James to shower, change clothes and join him so they can go home. James' footsteps are light and go almost unnoticed as he wanders up to Brock and bumps their shoulders together in way of greeting.   
      
    "Enjoy the show?" James teases, giving Brock a cocky, lopsided grin. The slight pink tint coloring Brock's cheeks is a dead give away of how much James' little show has affected the other man. It is flattering how little effort he has to put into drawing a reaction from Brock.   
  
    "Tease," Brock grouses, wrapping an arm around his lover's waist. "We're going home. Now," he emphasizes that last word, drawing a snicker from James. He just steers the other man towards the exit, ready to be home and alone with the handsome man pressed against his side.   
  
    James happily follows along, already thinking of more ways to tease his lover tonight. He loves getting Brock riled up, enjoys how passionate he can be. Once they have reached the car, Brock begins to tell him exactly what he plans to do to him when they get home. A thrill runs through James as they begin the short drive home. The evening is promising to turn out well.


	13. Growing old

James is unsure exactly when Brock had fallen asleep in the chair. He looks so comfy that the mischievous part of James wants to chuck something at him and startle him awake. But as he watches Brock snooze away, he finds himself unable to disturb what looks like a much needed, peaceful slumber. Quietly, James fetches a blanket to cover Brock with.   
  
    His lover hardly even stirs as James begins to drape the blanket over him. Just as he is making to tuck the blanket in around Brock's shoulders, a memory surfaces of seeing his grandpa tuck a blanket around his grandma like he is doing with Brock. The idea of growing old together strikes him. Obviously, he had been wanting this relationship to be more than just a passing fancy. But somehow growing old together had simply never truly occurred to him - perhaps in part because of the danger associated with their line of work. But now that he is thinking about it, he so desperately wants that to be their future that it almost physically hurts.   
  
    After he has finished covering Brock with the blanket, James retakes his own seat so he can watch him sleep. It is entirely possible that he will outlive Brock. Physically, he is younger than his lover, and who knows how long he might live, what with the experiments performed on him. He just hopes that Brock will be with him as they grow old. 


	14. Napping

    James is pulled from a light doze by the feeling of the bed shifting beneath him. He cracks an eye open and takes in the sight of his lover crawling towards him. Brock runs a hand down his back before leaning over to press a kiss to his cheek. James gives him a lazy, contented grin, arching up slightly against his hand. He does not often sleep on his belly, finding the position to be too vulnerable feeling. But as Brock begins to gently knead at his flesh shoulder, and he cannot regret his decision. It is nice to be able to just relax and drift on the light, pleasant sensations.  
  
    "Love seeing you like this. All nice and relaxed..."  
  
    Brock's husky voice cuts through the sleepy haze, pulling James back towards wakefulness. His words do not really register with James, but his tone promises safety and love. He lets out a pleased hum when Brock leans down to nuzzle at his neck. The gentle scrape of stubble over his skin sends a pleasant shiver through him. The soft sound of Brock's voice continuing quiet praises coupled with his rough, talented fingers kneading his back, further ease his muscles and lull him back into a restful sleep.  
  
    When James next wakes, Brock's warm body is pressed against his, arm snugly around his waist and Brock's head resting on his back just under the junction of metal and flesh. It is a remarkably pleasant way to wake up, even if he is a bit perturbed that Brock managed to wrap around him without James even stirring. The sun is well on its way to setting if the shadows growing in the room are any indication. But James feels no need to get up and make something of the rest of the day. Instead, he snuggles back into the pillow and lets himself relax as he listens to the steady, deep breaths of his slumbering lover.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Really just trying to get back into the swing of writing.


	15. Movie Night

James is sprawled out on the couch when Brock arrives home. Brock has no idea what he is watching, but he barely spares Brock a glance as he shifts to let the other man join him on the couch. James reclines again once Brock is seated, his head nestled against Brock's thigh and belly. "Hey, Baby," Brock says, running a hand through James' hair.   
  
    "Shhh," James hushes, even as he grabs Brock's free hand to press a kiss to it. He keeps a hold on his lover's hand, bringing it down to rest on his chest as he refocuses on the television.   
  
    Rather than be offended by James' inattention, Brock is amused by how into the movie his lover is. He turns his attention towards the screen, interested in seeing just what has James so enraptured. He will admit that he finds the movie to be entertaining, even if he is not as captivated as James is.   
  
    The movie is definitely not one Brock would have chosen, but it is a welcome change from their standard fare. And it is nice to hear James snickering and giggling like a maniac during the comedic scene. The bit where the Spaniard questions whether the short one with the annoying voice knows what the words he is using mean even gets a chuckle out of Brock. By the end of the movie, Brock is still unsure what exactly he watched, but James it has put James into a good mood. He just hopes that Jack will not see it, too, or there may never be an end to the movie quotes. 


	16. False Alarm

A loud but short beep wakes the pair from a peaceful slumber. At first, neither know exactly what woke them. And with the uncertainty fueling their movements, they both move to grab their weapons and check for intruders. They get no further than a couple steps from the bed before another sharp beep sounds from beyond the open doorway and startles them.   
  
    "Is that the smoke detector?" James asks with sleep and exasperation roughening his voice.   
  
    "Yep," Brock grumbles as he turns to set his gun back beside the bed.   
  
    "Why couldn't it wait for morning?" James sighs, replacing his own gun in its spot. He glares at the doorway, wishing that he could telekinetically turn the damnable device off. Alas, the beeping continues despite his best efforts to glare it into submission. Brock is already heading for the door, apparently not dumb enough to try to use powers he does not have to solve their problem. James trails after him, deciding that he may as well enjoy the view if he must be awake at this ungodly hour of the day. He leans against the wall beneath the smoke detector while Brock fishes out some new batteries.   
  
    "You could have grabbed a chair, you know," Brock informs James. He makes to pass James and snag a chair from the table so he can reach the detector. But James cheekily catches him, and hefts him upwards in one smooth motion. Brock only just manages to suppress a surprised squeak along with the reflex to elbow James in the face. "Really?" he growls, even while turning his attention upwards.   
  
    James snickers, nuzzling against Brock's bare belly. He only grins when Brock purposely drops one of the old batteries on his head in retaliation. It is rather pleasant to be holding Brock like this. He may have gotten a bit too into simply basking in the feeling of his lover in his arms, as he does not notice that Brock has finished with his task until Brock's fingers tangle in his hair and gently tug. He presses a kiss to Brock belly before glancing upwards at his amused but impatient face.   
  
    "You gonna hold me all night, Baby?" Brock questions, voice light. The ease with which James continues to hold him is quite incredible to behold. But he would much prefer to be back in bed and sleeping. Eventually, James appears to decide that cuddling in bed would be preferable to standing under the now silent smoke detector. Not that James actually sets him back on his feet. Instead, James carries him back into the bedroom and eases him onto the bed.   
  
    James takes his time climbing back into bed, eyes following Brock as he slips back beneath the covers. Brock yawns as he reaches out to tug James down next to him. "Come on, James, back to bed," he insists sleepily. James lets out a soft hum of agreement, resting his arm over top of Brock's belly and nestling up against his side. The rest of their sleep is remarkably restful.


	17. An almost proposal

The locker room is mostly empty when Brock enters. It only takes a moment for him to spot the person he is looking for. Standing in front of an open locker is James, dressed only in a pair of pants with his damp hair brushing his shoulders.   
  
    "James Rumlow," Brock starts, taking a seat on the nearby bench. "Has a nice ring to it, doesn't it?"   
  
    "Better than Brock Barnes," James retorts, his smirk softens as he glances at Brock. There is an odd thrill humming through him at the idea of marrying Brock. "Is this you asking me to marry you?"   
  
    "Might be," Brock says, voice oddly soft. The topic of marriage has never come up, not even when James had moved in with him. He had barely even thought it through when he mentioned James taking his last name, but now the idea is out there and Brock is excitedly terrified of what will come of this conversation.   
  
    "You going to get me a ring, too?" James asks. He takes the moment of pulling his shirt over his head to compose himself.   
  
    "One with a big ol' diamond in it," Brock teases. He grins when his attempt at humor pulls a chuckle from James. When his lover turns to face him, he reaches out to take James' left hand in his. He presses a kiss to the cool metal knuckles, enjoying the flush that creeps over James' cheeks.   
  
    "Well, then ask me properly later," James says before Brock can rephrase his proposal. "I'm not telling people that you proposed to me in a locker room."


	18. Staying the Night

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Brock invites James to stay the night for the first time.

    As the credits of the movie begin to roll, Brock tightens his hold on James. Having James reclining back against him has left Brock feeling content. While the other man stays still for a few pleasant moments, he finally begins to stretch as if getting ready to leave Brock's embrace. "Stay," Brock bids. "We don't have to be into work in the morning. And I'll be on my best behavior."  
  
    Shifting slightly, James tilts his head enough to see Brock's face. The hopeful expression softening Brock's face chases some of the excuses for why he ought to leave from James' mind. The only reason to not stay is that he is afraid he will hurt the other man by accident if startled from sleep. One of Brock's hands comes up to card through his hair, sending a shiver of relaxing pleasure down James' back. "Now that's just cheating," James protests with a moan.  
  
    "Stay, James," Brock repeats softly as James' eyes slip closed. He wishes that he could capture this moment on film, just to be able to go back to whenever he needed to feel as if he had done something right in his life. Hopefully he will get to spend many more nights like this.  
  
    James takes a few moments to just bask in feeling of Brock's fingers massaging at his scalp before giving Brock his response. "Ok," he finally says, eyes opening once more. It takes Brock a second or two to process James' reply. But when he does James has to stifle a laugh at the grin that spreads over Brock's face.  
  
    As the next movie begins to play on the TV, James settles back against Brock's chest. Both of them are content to simply enjoy the other's presense. James hardly notices when Brock falls asleep, as he is losing himself in a drowsy haze. He wakes briefly a couple of times during the night, but sleep easily reclaims him each time.  
   


End file.
